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OUR STUDENT SHOULD LEARN AND LEAD
A Message by Dr. Ambedkar to The All India Scheduled Castes Students, Federation Conference
Nagpur 25-27th Dec. 1946
The second conference of the ‘All India Scheduled Castes Students’ Federation’ was held at Nagpur from 25th to 27th December 1946 with the aim of framing the constitution for the Federation*. The foundation of this organization was laid on 12th May 1945 with the First Conference at Bombay.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had a desire to attend this Conference to be held at Nagpur, but due to his prior appointments, he could not. However, he advised Mr. Jogendranath Mandal, Law Member, Interim Government of India to be the chairperson of this students’ conference at Nagpur.
This Conference was a historic one. It was arranged within a very short period. The reception committee was formed on 16th December 1946 and the Conference was held between 25th and
27th Dec. 1946. In spite of this short period there were about three thousand boys and five hundred lady student delegates from all over India. The other visitors were about thirty thousand. The delegates from Bombay, UP, C. P. & Berar, Madras, Bengal, Hyderabad and Delhi were accommodated at Chokhamela Kanya Shala, New Colony, Nagpur.
This Conference was held in a spacious ground at Kasturchand Park in a nicely decorated pandal. Mr. Jogendranath Mandal was the President of the Conference. The huge crowd of forty thousand people greeted him at Nagpur Railway Station at 6.30 p. m. on 25th Dec. 1946. The ‘guard of honour’ was presented by ‘ Samta Saanik Dal’ and ‘National Muslim Guards’. He was also welcomed by leaders of Scheduled Castes Federation, Muslim League and Government Officials.
- See Appendix—1